Environmental conservatism has become a big topic nowadays. Whether it be global warming raising temperatures around the world or pollution causing damage to natural biomes, movements to preserve the environment and keep nature healthy have been popping up for a very long time now.

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As such, environmental conservatism occasionally shows up in video games, especially in role-playing games that have a particular emphasis on storytelling. While it may not necessarily be their central focus, there are several RPGs that explore the topic in some way. Here are some RPGs that feature themes of environmental conservatism (or the lack of it) in their stories.

8 Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

In the middle of Antarctica, a sudden supernatural phenomenon leads to the creation of the Schwarzwelt, a black void that swallows everything it touches. A task force created by the United Nations attempts to investigate the Schwarzwelt in order to find a way to stop it, only to discover strange worlds teeming with demons.

It is eventually revealed that the Schwarzwelt was released by the Mother Goddess Mem Aleph as punishment for ruining the Earth, with the many worlds within the Schwarzwelt representing the many sins and vices of humans. While Strange Journey's environmental themes are not overt, they are certainly part of the reason why the events of the game happen in the first place.

7 Xenogears

The amnesiac Fei Fong Wong lives peacefully in the little village of Lahan until it is attacked by an enemy force. Fei jumps into an empty Gear to fight them off, but his village is destroyed in the process. With nowhere to stay, Fei leaves his village, setting off on a journey of self-discovery.

Xenogearsis a story with plenty of themes, and environmental conservatism is one of them. Though it is not featured as a major theme, hints of it can be seen in Xenogears' war-torn continent of Ignas. There is also the dystopia of Solaris, which presents itself as a paradise despite producing food from the mutated humans it manufactures.

6 Fallout Games

The Fallout series all have similar premises, with each game taking place in a post-apocalyptic world ruined by nuclear fallout. The main character is usually someone who has recently emerged from a Vault Shelter after decades of cryo-sleep, completely unaware of how the world has changed on the outside.

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While the Fallout games generally concern themselves with the post-apocalyptic exploration of the environmental implications of its setting, it nevertheless provides a powerful example of what the world could look like if humanity's follies are left unchecked.

5 Mother 3

The Mother/Earthbound series has always been an elusive franchise for western JRPG fans, and the third entry of the series is a particularly difficult find, having only ever been released in Japan. The story follows that of Lucas, whose peaceful life in Tazmily Village is torn apart by the mysterious Pigmask Army.

While Mother 3's story largely concerns itself with Lucas's fight against the Pigmask Army, there is a running undercurrent of environmental conservatism. For example, the story starts with the Pigmask Army destroying many of the natural aspects of Tazmily Village including the surrounding forests. Then, the village is later modernized with all kinds of technology like railways and television-like objects called Happy Boxes.

4 Final Fantasy 5

The Four Crystals that keep the world alive and evil sealed away have begun to weaken. Bartz and three other warriors are given the power of the crystals in order to protect them. They must now venture from land to land in order to keep the crystals from being destroyed and the great evil from reawakening.

Final Fantasy 5 has a rather standard RPG story, but it does have an environmental twist to it. Though the crystals are in charge of the world's balance, humans tried to amplify the crystals in order to enhance their power only to make them more vulnerable to attacks. It's a concept that teaches that overtaxing nature can often lead to its ruin.

3 Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire

Pokemon Ruby & Sapphire heralded the third generation of the Pokemon games, introducing a whole slew of new creatures and mechanics to the iconic JRPG franchise. The game naturally follows a young Pokemon trainer as they head out to become the greatest trainer of them all.

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Unlike other Pokemon games, Ruby & Sapphire actually feature two villain teams, each one fighting for a different ecological ideal. Team Magma believes that more landmass needs to be created, while Team Aqua believes that the seas need to be larger. The team the player fights against depends on the version being played.

2 Final Fantasy 7

Final Fantasy 7 is one of the most iconic role-playing games of all time, with its influence still being felt in the modern day. Its first section takes place in Midgar, a city largely controlled by Shinra Corporation, an energy company that powers everything with a power source known only as mako.

Mako is processed from the Lifestream, a mystical flow of energy that gives life to all. Exploiting this for energy causes the planet to weaken, forcing the creation of AVALANCHE, an eco-terrorist group attempting to stop Shinra's overuse of the Lifestream. Though the game slowly moves away from these environmental themes as the story progresses, it still remains a major factor.

1 Tales Of Vesperia

In the land of Terca Lumireis, blastia is a part of everyday life. Whether it's creating water or lighting up streets, blastia are constantly used in modern civilization, constantly using up aer as they do.

Overuse of blastia led to excess aer, which would be eaten up by creatures called Entelexia. However, unable to handle the massive amounts of aer, several Entelexia merged into a being known as the Adephagos, a horrific monster that would consume and destroy the world. Tales of Vesperia's story is one couched in environmental conservatism, and it is likely one of the most notable examples.

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